David Banner Was Ready To Quit Music, Then Everything Changed
David Banner may have stepped away from music mentally, but Hip-Hop was not finished with him.
The Mississippi rapper, producer, actor and activist has returned with “Where You From?,” an anthem featuring T.I., Juicy J and Duke Deuce. The song previews The God Box 2, Banner’s long-awaited follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2017 album, The God Box.
Banner talked with AllHipHop co-founder Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur during UnlockingRVA’s Brunch on the Plaza in Richmond, Virginia after they both spoke at the 6th annual Virginia Black Expo. Overall, thousands of attendees and more than 150 vendors to Richmond’s Main Street Station for a celebration of Black commerce, health and community. And then the brunch was a wondrous outdoor outing that had people celebrating life.
Banner tells Jigsaw that acting, public speaking and technology ventures had nearly replaced music in his life. Ironically, it was only after releasing his grip on Hip-Hop that the music returned. Now, listeners are paying as much as $150 for his new single, showing love. And The God Box 2 is looking better with Method Man, Conway The Machine, Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Juvenile, E-40, Bun B and others supporting his sprawling new project.
AllHipHop: We’re out here in Richmond, Virginia. We go back more than 20 years, and he’s always been standing strong. I have to say that for the record. You have a new song out, “Where You From?,” with T.I., Juicy J and Duke Deuce. Talk to us about it.
David Banner: First of all, I have to say that I’m grateful to God. I’m grateful that I didn’t give up.
I had said I was done with music. Acting is doing so well for me, along with public speaking, my other ventures, technology and the other things that I’m doing. But I really think we have a tendency sometimes to make things other than God our idols.
For so long, rap meant so much to me. I wanted to do so much with Hip-Hop, and I realized that’s not my place. My place is to make good music and get the word out as much as I possibly can.
As soon as I let it go and said I was done, everything came to my feet, bro.
AllHipHop: It sounds like removing that pressure opened things back up creatively.
David Banner: It did. Even when you go to DavidBanner.com, all the DJs are tripping because I have it set up where they can get the entire DJ pack and download all the music. It is all there for them.
I have to say, bro, I’m so grateful. I have a “pay what you want” option for the single, and then I put two songs from the album up there. People are giving me $150, $100 and $75. They are really supporting in a way that is unbelievable.
It has gotten to the point where, if they continue supporting it like this, I might give the album away for free. I’m dead serious, bro. I would do that for the people.
AllHipHop: That direct support must feel different from simply seeing streaming numbers.
David Banner: It’s a feeling that I want for the rest of my life.
You know how sometimes you go to your bank account and wonder if the government hit you, or something happened, because you don’t know how you’re going to feel? We make a lot of money. Let’s be clear. But we still have that same feeling.
Bro, I went to my bank account for the first time in a long time and it felt good. It was way more in there than I thought. I’m so grateful.
“Where You From?” is just the beginning. I want this album to be the synthesis of Hip-Hop. When I tell you about the people I have on The God Box 2, dog, it’s amazing.
AllHipHop: Let’s talk about The God Box 2. How would you describe its sound?
David Banner: I played the record for one of the greatest rappers of all time. I played it for Big Daddy Kane.
Big Daddy Kane told me, “This is actually Southern Hip-Hop.”
He said, “It’s not a Southern dude trying to sound like he’s from New York. This is Southern Hip-Hop.”
That was probably one of the greatest compliments I have ever received in my life. This is what I always wanted because a lot of people don’t know that I started off as a battle rapper. A lot of people don’t know that about me.
AllHipHop: You have assembled a serious lineup for this album too.
David Banner: We have T.I., Juicy J, Duke Deuce, Method Man, Juvenile, T-Pain, E-40, Bun B, Young Dro, Conway The Machine, Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Lil Boosie, Akeem Ali and 2 Chainz.
We also have Erica Campbell from Mary Mary, Anthony Hamilton, Raheem DeVaughn, Eric Bellinger and Devin The Dude. Ali Siddiq is on there too. It’s a lot of people.
AllHipHop: You emptied the chamber on this one.
David Banner: [Laughs] I do want to say something about Method Man and some of these artists who came through for me. Those cats didn’t necessarily know me like that. For them to show up for me in this way meant something.
Conway said something that made me emotional. I’m not an emotional guy, but it really touched me.
I asked Conway, “Bro, why did you come through like this for me?”
He said, “Bro, because I respect you.”
Coming from somebody who has been in the streets, that’s a different type of respect. It meant a lot to me.
AllHipHop: Method Man came through heavily too?
David Banner: Method Man actually said something funny. I asked him the same question.
He said, “Well, I be on Twitter sometimes, and Black Twitter says, ‘Protect David Banner.’ So that’s what I’m going to do.”
That’s love, bro.
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